January 25, 2010

I don't know whose brilliant idea this originally was, but someone on Twitter started posting their #Top50Jo or the top reasons they love Jordan, and it took off. Even Queen Rania pitched in! I loved the idea because we always complain about living here but forget the reasons we love it so much. So here's my top 50, some of them from other Tweeps:

1) MANSAF!

2) Emad Hajjaj's Abu Mahjoob

3) Souk Jara in the summer

4) Antique jewelry from souk jara

5) Sunsets in the dead sea

6) How we can have snowless snow days!

7) How everyone watches JTV only when it snows and you can't get any other channels

8) How Mohammad al-Wakeel's show is our equivalent of the Oprah show

9) How EVERYONE talks about whatever cold front is coming

10) Hummus and Fool on Friday mornings

11) How you can bargain prices at local stores

12) Ka3ek with za'atar, eggs and spread cheese!

13) Local Jordanian bands like Jadal

14) How people start dancing like crazy in weddings whenever they put on national songs like "ya beiragna"!

15) Our beautiful weather. we get all four seasons!

16) Shawerma

17) Delicious summer fruits

18) How everyone you meet knows someone you know

19) How everyone has an "uncle" who's high up in the government

20) That our Queen has YouTube and Twitter. and actually contributed her #Top50Jo

21) That you can complain to the mayor @MayorOfAmman on Twitter

22) How everyone gets together in happy as well as sad occasions

23) 5 piaster popsicles in the summer or "Eskimo"

24) Ras il abed!

25) Cups and Kilos

26) The smell of jasmine in early summer mornings

27) How we combine the best of the east and the best of the west. We have falafel, and we have Sugardaddy cupcakes!

28) 1 JD DVDs from the Balad

29) Cab drivers. Love 'em or hate 'em, Jordan wouldn't be the same without them!

30) How every place in Jordan delivers. From McDonalds to Argeeeleh places

31) How you get coerced into eating till you pass out at 3azaiem (feasts)

32) How guys are prepared to get into fights in defense of “their” football team

33) How everyone has a mobile phone, from CEOs to housemaids

34) Ramadan atmosphere

35) Walking in Amman

36) The view from Jabal Amman

37) How you can buy newspapers/flowers/gum/plasters at the traffic light

38) The view of the King Hussein Mosque at night

39) Balad sights and sounds

40) How we don’t acknowledge maps or street names. It’s always next to some place you know!

41) Street cats!

42) How you don’t need to go to the car-wash. The 7ares across the street will wash it for you for a small fee

43) How older men with mustaches and a frown are considered prestigious

44) how our streets flood every time it rains

45) How you can have a tab at the local mini-market

46) How every health issue is attributed to low B12 levels

47) How it doesn’t matter how old you are, there will always be someone to tell you to put on a jacket when it’s cold outside

did you notice that many are related to food ;) and i agree, this is something that is good about jordan.

and, a few of these things could be things i hate about jordan!

the thing is that, why do we always have to talk about our love to jordan/amman. this is a symptom of the fact that we always need to remind ourself of the good things because life is not that great here. when you try so much, things loose their meaning, just let it be.

You have a good point. But then again, it's good to remember to focus on the good things in life, which in turn could help you improve the good in the bad surrounding.

I don't believe that they lose their meanings, bil3aks, you realize that those things really create a sort of GOOD identity in Jordan rather than the bad things that a lot of peopl complain about the entire time.

Anon, ya a lot of them have to do with food, but seriously the food is so good! :)

I disagree with you as to the other part. Jordanians constantly complain about living here, till they go abroad and start remembering and missing all the wonderful things that make Jordan home to them, so this trend was to remind us all, that despite all the crappy things we encounter, Jordan is a pretty awesome place to live in. I don't think it's trying too hard, my bad to good posts ratio about living in Jordan are is probably 5:1!

its me Anonymous.dont get me wrong, i like the idea and its very suitable to our area. i mean, life is pretty difficult for many people in and around jordan and when you list what you like about it, it makes burdens lighter. but two points: 1- i hope these efforts do not cause laziness for the government because it assumes that things are very nice the way they are and no work is needed. there is still a lot to do to make jordan a much better place. it has a lot of potential, and this potential needs to be realized by actual deeds, not words. which leads to my second point that also links to my previous post..2- well, there are places that you just fall in love with the moment you step on the airport ground, that you just love whether you are on a vacation or lived there for years. amman (and i say amman as oppose to other cities in jordan) is not like that in my opinion. it has no appeal (again in my opinion) to the majority of people, some may like it a lot, but i think the majority of its people and/or travelers don't. i think it does not compare to Beirut or Damascus for example maybe Ciaro or Dubai as i think that there are more people who like those cities than the people who dislike them. now if you talk about European, American or Latino cities, there isn't even a slight comparison! but, if you live in amman and can't (don't want to leave) then you have to remind yourself of the good things. i'm personally out of the country, but i lived there for 30 years, in amman, if i go back, chances are i will live in another city, if i can find decent work. madaba, fuheis, karak, 3ajloun, salt, tafileh, aqaba are all nicer in my opinion. thank you..